Apple is expanding the iPhone's NFC functionality with iOS 11

When Apple took the wraps off iOS 11 at WWDC, one of the more intriguing announcements was Core NFC. We only knew this would expand the iPhone’s NFC functionality, but we never learned how exactly. Now we do.

According to MacRumors, the new functionality will work the same way Apple Pay does. iPhone users will be prompted with “Ready to Scan” when they hold up the phone near an item with an NFC tag. If an app uses Core NFC, a checkmark will appear on the display and if allowed, it will be able to deliver even more information about the item you are a scanning.

This would be especially useful at grocery stores. Holding up your iPhone to a specific item would then conjure up extra information like nutrition facts and some other pertinent information such as price changes.

The new NFC functionality will also be used for authentication, tracking and anti-counterfeiting. Cybersecurity company WISeKey’s CapSeal smart tags will be one of the first products to support Core NFC.

Right now, the only devices that support Core NFC are the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. The iPhone 6, 6s and SE have NFC but don’t feature the new function. We also expect the next iPhone to carry the function as well.